Gravity separator



F. A. HOMEWOOD GRAVITY SEPARATOR April 6, 1926. 1,579,448

Filed Oct. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuantoc cfl famewood awe-Mug April 6, 1926.

F. A. HOMEWQOD GRAVITY SEPARATOR Filed 001.. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented. Apr. 6, 1926.

' UNITED STATES PATIENT 'QOFFICE.

FIRED 'A. nom'nwoon, on emnno, wroivrme.

GRAVITY snram'ron.

Application filed October 15,-1925. serial No. 62597.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. Hoivi iwoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glendo, in. the county of Platte and. State of \Vyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gravity Separators, of which the following is a specification, reference'beinghad to the accompanying drawings. p

This invention relates to gravity separators and more particularly-to a device of this character adapted for the separation of metals from ores.

An important object of theinvention is to provide a device of this character employing siphons as a. means for effecting separation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich may be very cheaply and readily produced and which may be very cheaply operated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide. a device of this character in which the separation is substantially automatic.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein forthepurpose vof illustration is shown a preferred embodimentof my invention and wherein V Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a gravity separator constructed in accordance with my invention;- I

Figure '2 is a vertical sectional 'view through a unit of the separator Figure 3 is a perspective of the lower end of the intake leg of the silt removing siphon.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral designates a tank into which extends an'ore feed pipe 11, the inner end of which is arranged adjacent the bottom of the tank, as indicated at 12. This ore feed pipe has preferably attached to the lower end thereof a pan 13 for receiving mercury for the collection of values from the ore as it impinges thereagainst during the passage of the ore into the tank. The tank has likewise communicating therewith a water inlet pipe 14, the purpose of silt siphon has its, short leg 17 arranged within the tank and its bight portion 18 extending through the wall of the tank. The bight portion and short leg of this siphon are both of greater diameter than the long or discharge leg 19 thereof and the in-' take or short leg is subdivided by a diametrically extending flange 20' continuing from the lower end of the leg throughthe adjacent portion of the bight of the leg, this flange serving to prevent swirling of the contents of the leg so, that eddy currents are not set up which will pick up values for delivery to, the leg19. The leg 17 and bight portion being of greater diameter than the leg 19, the rate of flow through the leg 17 is relatively slow which further assists in the prevention of picking up of these values by the siphon. The lower end of the leg 17 is well spaced from the bottom 21 of the tank 10.

The construction of thevalues siphon is reversed, the intake leg 22 thereof being relatively small While the bight portion 23 and exhaust leg 24- are relatively large. In the exhaust leg, a diametrical partition 25vis are i tents of the leg 24 at opposite sides of the partition 25 are directed; These pans discharge into the compartments 27' and- 28 of a tank 29; The compartment 28 has an outlet 30 which may form the ore feedpipe for a second tank 10 similar to the tank 10. The values discharge siphon 16 of this tank 10 may discharge into a second tank 29 -similar to the'tank '29. This cascading of values may be continued as long'as it is found desirable or necessary. The compartment 27 is provided with a suitable outlet 32. i

In the operation of the device, the ore is fed into the tank until, the same is substantially filled with the ore and water and. the same has partially separated. The siphons 15 and 16 are then started in operation and the siphon 15 will draw off water and the lighter particles of the ore, such as draw off a certain percentage of float gold, the bight ot the siphon may be provided with a pocket 31 for the reception of this float gold. The values are drawn oil by the siphons 16 and due to the fact that when the contents of the leg 22 arrive at the bight 23 the size of this siphon increases, the rate of flow through this bight portion will be relatively slow and will permit the heavier portions of the values to drop to the bottom wall of the bight so that as they pass to the leg 24, they will lie at that side of the partition 25 next adjacent the bight and will be discharged into the pan section 26 and finally into the compartment 28 of the tank 29 unless they amalganiate in the pan. The lighter values will pass to the pan section 26 and finally to the tank section 27. It will be obvious that by repeating this process, as indicated by the discharge of the tank 29 into asecond apparatus of this character, a very fine separation may be etl'ected,

It will also be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is obviously capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a separator of the type described, an ore tank, a pair of siphons communieating with said tank having their intake legs arranged within the tank and one having the lower end of its intake leg arranged adjacent the bottom of the tank while the second has its intake leg spaced therefrom and means in the discharge leg of the first named siphon for gravity separation of values passing therethrough.

Q. In a separator of the type described, an

ore tank, a pair of siphons communicating with said tank having cheir intake legs arranged within the tank and one having the lower end of its intake leg arranged adjacent the bottom of the tank While the second has its intake leg spaced therefrom, the

first named siphon ha ing a relatively small intake leg and large exhaust leg, the last named siphon having a relatively small exhaust leg and a relatively large intake leg.

last named siphon having a relatively small 7 exhaust leg and a relatively large intake leg and means in the discharge leg of the first named siphon for gravity separation of values passing therethrough.

4-. In a separator of the type descrihc'l, an ore tank, a pair of siphons communicating with said tank having their intake 1 gs arranged within the tank and one having the lower end of its intake leg arranged adjacent the bottom of the tank while the second has its intake leg spaced therefrom, and a diametrically extending partition within the exhaust leg of the first-named siphon having its upper ends projected above the level of the lower surface of the bight of the siphon.

, 5. In a separator of the type described, an ore tank, a pair of siphons communicating with said tank having their intake legs arranged within the tank and one having the lower end of its intake leg arranged adjacent the bottom of the tank while the second has its intake leg spaced therefrom, a diametrically extending partition within the exhaust leg of the first named siphon having its upper ends projected above the level of the lower surface of the bight of the siphon and separate tanks for receiving the discharges at the opposite sides of the partition of said exhaust leg.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature.

FRED A. HOMEl/VOOD. 

